Losing my best friend

Saturday, February 09, 2008

I'm just getting back to feeling pretty stable after Christmas break derailed my plan. I'm journaling my food intake today for the first time in a couple of months. I'm very depressed that I gained some weight, but I am still at a net loss from when I started, so that is good.

I'm just feeling overwhelmingly sad today. It feels like giving up uncontrolled eating is giving up my best friend. I just really enjoy the taste and feel of food. I figure it's like the 5 stages of grief - I just have to go through the mourning period to get to the other side. That sounds easy, but it still feels really hard.

Thanks for everyone's great comments. I really like the idea of thinking more about the quality of my friendship with food. I can be good friends with good food that nourishes me body & soul. Food that is a bad influence on me and hangs around on the street corners stealing my time and energy is not really my friend.

I am trying to look at befriending food instead of giving it up by asking myself what I love about the food and looking at ways I can get that need met like making a lower calorie spark recipe or in the instance of ice cream I have light type which is just as good and sometimes I have regular which is not that many more calories, I start with one serving and realy appreciate and enjoy it, I take small bites (usually) and pay attention to the sensations that I enjoy. Then if I am not satisfied I ask myself what it is I really want, if it is another serving of ice cream I try 1/2 serving, if that is not going to work I have another serving, and it ends up balancing out in the end. Keep your chin up, we are pulling for you.

I understand how you feel. I felt the same way. Food can sometimes feel like your best friend, maybe your only friend. Wrong food is not a friend, it hurts us. Good food is a friend because it nurtures and takes care of us. I had to realize I'm not giving up food, but I'm exploring a new and exciting world of healthy food. Also, exercise has become my new best friend. I can't go wrong with exercise. Just find things to replace the void you feel with food-a new recipe, a hot bath, a new exercise video, a new fruit! I'm on the same journey, and we can do this. Just don't give up!